Political Notes

Rajesh Tyagi

We are living in most unfortunate times in the history when such things may
take place before our eyes, which could hardly have been imagined in other
times. The Sangh Parivar – the RSS, BJP, VHP etc., who not only opposed our
glorious freedom movement, but openly sided with the British Government against
the freedom fighters, assisting it in the repression of fighters, are commanding
a majority in Parliament, thanks to the cooperation of the centrists, and now
are in league with some other parties of the centrist opposition like the Cong
(I), SP, RJD etc. and are bent upon defeating Capt. Lakshmi Sahgal, the veteran
freedom fighter who took a gun on her shoulder and joined the Indian National
Army of Subhash Chandra Bose, as its first woman commander to end British rule
in India, in the contest for the highest office of President of India.

The fascists and centrists have fielded their joint candidate Abdul Kalam,
and are shamelessly attempting to make a comparison between the two, in order to
justify their opposition to Lakshmi Sahgal. Abdul Kalam is being presented as a
symbol representing that variety of ‘pop-patriotism’ which these fascists
have nurtured zealously for decades. This variety, best reflected in the concept
of ‘Hindu Rashtra’ of the RSS brand, is identified with jingoism, war
frenzy, military might, and weapons of mass destruction (missiles! for example)
on the fronts, and in the rear with bullets, batons, jails and stringent laws.
Obviously, in the fascist system of thought those bureaucrats/ technocrats who
have command and control over this machine of guns, bullets, missiles, batons,
jails and black laws are conceived of as the only patriots. The fascist
yardstick to adjudge the ‘patriotism’ is how effectively (ruthlessly!) one
can use (misuse!) this machine against the enemy as well as against its own
people. Narendra Modi is a ‘patriot’ because he carried out the genocide of
the minorities in Gujarat, and similarly Abdul Kalam is a ‘patriot’ because
he contributed to the development of missile system – a system of mass
destruction. Measuring by this yardstick of rabid patriotism, our fascists
possess hate and contempt towards those fighters like Lakshmi Sahgal, who fought
for real ideals and the goals of freedom and democracy against the imperial
machine of guns, bullets, batons and black laws.

The ‘consensus’ is nothing but a conspiracy to defeat the symbol of the
revolutionary legacy of the pre independence era.

Lakshmi Sahgal represents that legacy of pre independence era where we
fought, as one people, against the anti-people regime of the British
Imperialists, for a free, democratic and egalitarian India. Their hatred for
Lakshmi Sahgal and their wish to defeat her at any cost is in fact their
contempt towards that revolutionary legacy, because it reminds us all that the
rule of guns, batons, bullets and black laws has not only continued but has
become more repressive and stringent day by day after independence and that the
much propagated missiles are nothing but the continuation of this rule on the
borders. In their hatred of the revolutionary legacy, the fascists are not
alone. Almost all major centrist parties are siding with them on this issue. The
consensus arrived at among the fascists and centrists is the consensus in
connivance with each other to ensure the defeat of a legacy, a movement, a
culture and a thought. It is not correct to say that these parties have
established a consensus for Abdul Kalam, because Abdul Kalam was selected after
these parties decided to put up a consensus candidate, rather Abdul Kalam
himself is choice of this consensus.

Missiles and jingoism have nothing in common with the idea of Indian
nationalism. While propagating Abdul Kalam as the ‘father of the missile
programme’ and thus a ‘patriot’ and ‘nationalist’, both the fascists
and centrists forget that these missiles and jingoism have nothing in common
with the Indian nationalism as was conceived by those who fought for real
freedom and democracy. Jingoism is the ‘pop-patriotism’ nurtured by those
who had opposed the freedom movement. The Sangh Parivar, led by the RSS, which
had been notorious in assisting the British Government against the revolutionary
fighters like Lakshmi Sahgal and thousands others, are propping up this variety
of patriotism which identifies itself with missiles. The ideas and culture which
inspired the freedom fighters like Lakshmi Sahgal are in fact squarely opposed
to the concept of missiles and jingoism and the cowardly dream of ‘Hindu
Rashtra’ propagated by fascists.

Kalam has no vision and mission except nuclear might

At a time, when this country is haunted by the monsters of communalism and
corruption Kalam has no vision or programme to overcome them. The only programme
he has is to make India a nuclear power. This vision of Kalam perfectly
coincides with the vision of our fascists of ‘Hindu Rashtra’ with a nuclear
deterrent to be used to intimidate its neighbours. This has made Kalam a perfect
choice for our fascists. One would wonder as to why and how a nuclear scientific
administrator, who had nothing to do with the polity of a country till date, has
been fielded for the post of President of India? Everybody knows and even
according to the media propaganda, Abdul Kalam has no other vision for India
except that it should become a great nuclear power. This country which even
officially owes its freedom, its democracy to the Gandhian vision and
philosophy, how can it accept a person as its first citizen who openly declares
that his only commitment is to make India a nuclear power? How can a country
which had felt proud in posing as a pioneer of peace, which had declared itself
to be one of the greatest democracies in the world would accept the person as
its first citizen, whose mission is nothing but a clear military misadventure?
Has this misadventure anything to do with ‘nationalism’, if one is not
misled by the ‘nationalism’ of the fascist variety? What ‘nationalism’
can one find in the development of weapons of mass destruction which would
result in the killing and maiming of millions and would generate an arms race in
the region?

The candidature of Abdul Kalam shows the bankruptcy of the politics of
fascists and centrists.

Abdul Kalam is not a scientist rather a scientific administrator. He heads
the research organisation DRDO which developed the missile programme. Kalam has
been fielded as a candidate for the office of president after none from the
political arena could could be named for the same. The office of President of
India, is the top political office and the inability of the rightists and
centrists put together to bring forward even a single name from the political
arena clearly demonstrates their political bankruptcy. By nominating a
technocrat who does not know even the a,b,c of politics, both the rightists and
centrists have exposed their bankruptcy. In fact, in the past years of the rule
of these political parties, the vast majority of their leaders have been
involved in one or the other scams or other misdeeds and none could be found to
be trustworthy to maintain the ‘dignity’ of the top political office. This
mistrust of the corrupt and incompetent political leadership, has led the
rightists and centrists to both opt for a non-political personality in Abdul
Kalam.

While Lakshmi Sahgal is known for her role as the first woman and a Captain
in the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) and leader of the Rani Jhansi
Regiment, organised by Subhash Chandra Bose, Abdul Kalam finds favour with the
RSS and its allies holding the reigns of power, for his alleged role in
visualising and developing the missile programme in this country. While Lakshmi
Sahgal represents the finest and shining traditions of our freedom struggle,
Abdul Kalam, the man of missiles, can be identified only by his striving for a
personal career. While Lakshmi Sahgal is credited with armed opposition to the
imperial rulers, Abdul Kalam is known for his pitiful acts and thoughts to
appease the present day rulers. Lakshmi Sahgal, a graduate in medicine of those
times, sacrificed her personal career, to take up arms against the British
regime, while Kalam came to defence research after his failure in making a
career in the Air Force. One cannot fail to mark the stark difference between
the commitments and preferences of the two.

The media run by the big money bags and dominated by the fascists, has been
carrying out fictitious propaganda in favour of Abdul Kalam. But it has failed
to point out any remarkable deed of Abdul Kalam even in post independence India.
What goes to the credit of Abdul Kalam? Only that he had been engaged for
decades in making his career! None has been able to point out anything to show
that this man has sacrificed anything for the country. As far as his dedication
to scientific research is concerned that is clear from the fact that Abdul Kalam
has grabbed the first opportunity to abandon his research work in science for a
political election. Not only is he enthusiastic for political office while
abandoning his research work, he has shown by his deeds that he is ready to go
to any extent for that. To appease the Hindu fascists, who are in practical
control of the reins of power at the centre, he is quoted by the press to have
said that he is a ‘Rambhakt’ (a disciple of Lord Rama). His childish vision
of making India a nuclear power coincides with that of the fascists who know no
better vision of India other than that of complete Militarism.

Abdul Kalam is a model Muslim of RSS choice.

One wonders as to how the RSS which is avowed enemy of the minority community
and especially of the muslims has put its strength behind Kalam? In fact, Kalam
is one of those few who share the view of the Sangh Parivar that Indian muslims
should subject themselves to the majority hindu community and in the process
should lose their separate religious identity. This means that the muslims
should lose their separate identity and assume their status in the ‘Hindu
Rashtra’ as second grade citizens. That is why Abdul Kalam says he is a ‘Ram
Bhakt’. By ‘Ram Bhakt’ he doesn’t mean in fact a disciple of Rama, but
one who shares the views and thoughts of the saffron brigade of ‘Hindu Rashtra’.
It is with this mindset that Kalam has become a choice for the office of
President of India. This explains why the Sangh Parivar, which otherwise is bent
upon eliminating the non-hindu communities and especially the muslims, has
agreed to the candidature of Kalam.

Where were those who field Abdul Kalam in the freedom struggle?

It is also not out of place to mention that none of the NDA partners, their
leaders, including those in the BJP, SP, TDP have any background in the freedom
struggle of this country. Rather the fascist organizations like RSS who control
the parties like BJP had played a dubious role during the freedom struggle. It
was Hedgewar, the founder of the RSS who instructed his cadre that they should
not involve themselves in activities which may annoy the British Government.
Savarkar many times had given apologies and assurances to the British
government. The Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee wrote to the Governor
of Bengal on how to suppress the Quit India Movement led by Gandhiji. Even after
1947 the RSS chief Golvalkar had repeatedly said that British rule was better
than independence. RSS leaders have often made contemptuous remarks about the
freedom struggle and about those participating in that struggle.Their opposition
to Lakshmi Sahgal speaks of their contempt for the ideals and values of our
great freedom struggle in which countless sacrifices have been made by thousands
of our people like Lakshmi Sahgal. These ‘pop-patriots’ who are opposing
Lakshmi Sahgal today, cannot tell where they were when Lakshmi Sahgal and
thousands like her had taken part in the struggle against British rule.

June 22,2002

On 18th May, 2002, Prime Minister visits Kupwara Sector, addresses a meeting
of Army personnel, asks them to prepare themselves for utmost sacrifices in the
impending border conflict with Pakistan. The very next day the Prime Minister
goes for a week’s pleasure trip to Manali.

The aforesaid is sufficient to make clear the true colour of war frenzy—sacrifices
for the many and pleasure trips for a few. Truly, the Prime Minister has never
said that he or his cabinet colleagues were ready to ‘sacrifice’ anything,
rather he had called upon the Army personnel to be prepared for any sacrifice.

Earlier also the same Prime Minister had called on the Army personnel to make
sacrifices in the Kargil conflict and it later came to light that after the ‘sacrifices’
were made by the Army personnel in Kargil, the Ministers of this very Government
received bribes and commissions in the purchase of coffins for those who ‘sacrificed’
themselves.

A full scale war with Pakistan, in which the backbone of Pakistan could be
broken, is a long cherished dream of the Sangh Parivar, which presently holds
the reins of power at the centre for all practical purposes. Belts were
tightened, but when the masters in the government looked towards the U.S. for
the green signal, the same was declined and in this way dreams came to be
shattered.

The entire episode demonstrated beyond any doubt that the U.S. has a decisive
role in determining affairs in this region in the home and foreign policies of
the governments. The policies of the governments are formulated with U.S.
interventions and their decisions await signals from the U.S. masters before
they are implemented.

The foreign policy of the present government cannot be seen in isolation from
its home policy. These are the same ‘patriots’ who recently have carried out
a full scale state genocide in Gujarat including the murder of children and the
mass rape of women. They have pursued a consistent policy of fascism against the
minority communities inside the country. These ‘patriots’ have thrown open
the gates to the big international capitalist corporations and are trying to
destroy the last vestiges of the public sector, selling the same to individual
capitalist concerns, mainly foreign multinational companies. Led by these ‘patriots’
the political regime has more and more sunk to the depths of corruption, while
the cost of living for the common man has gone sky high. How can people ever
forget that these are the same ‘patriots’ who received commissions even in
the purchase of the coffins for those ‘sacrificed’ in the Kargil conflict.
Can people forget that the masters in the Sangh Parivar including their
political party BJP are the same ‘patriots’ who were exposed by tehelka.com
for receiving commissions in purchases of military equipment.

These ‘patriots’ call upon the people to be prepared for ‘sacrifice’
so that their rule con be maintained. We should never forget that this war
frenzy is nothing but the continuation of the same policy – genocide at home
against the minorities and jingoism at the borders.

This is what the parties in power are doing and finding full support from the
bourgeois opposition, but what are our ‘left’ bravados doing? Nothing
different from the former! The stand of our ‘left’ becomes clear from a
leading and official article published in People’s Democracy in its
issue no.20, 20-26 May 2002, ‘WAR IS NO SOLUTION’ written by none else than
the General Secretary of the CPI(M), Harkishan Singh Surjeet. In this write-up
Pakistan and its dictatorial regime have been severely criticised while the
Indian rulers have been depicted as representing a peace loving democracy and,
lastly the Indian Government has been advised to show patience in front of such
‘misdeeds’ of Pakistan. Appreciating the caution shown by the Indian rulers,
the article says ‘ The situation demands more, not less, caution on part of
Government of India’.

On the Kashmir issue, the article clearly criticises the stance of Pakistan,
without saying any word about the stance of the Indian rulers. Tracing the
history of Pakistan’s polity, the country is projected as a religious
dictatorship in the grip of the Army, but not even a single word is murmured
about the Indian polity which has fallen prey to communal fascism, and which has
a vested interest in keeping the situation blazing on the borders while carrying
out the cleansing campaign against the minorities in its own land. But the
article does not say anything regarding the interrelation of the foreign and
domestic policy of this Government. Though the border conflict has taken place
right in the aftermath of the Gujarat carnage the article sees the issue in
isolation from the domestic policy of Indian rulers. It does not criticize the
jingoism displayed by the Indian rulers. Even in relation to the provocative
statements made by the leaders of Sangh Parivar, including the BJP, especially
those in top positions in the Government, including the Prime Minister himself,
the article says that such statements have been made by the second line BJP
leaders, Thereby deliberately exonerating the first line leadership. It says ‘though
the top leaders of Government of India have so far avoided making any such
statement…’

The article mischievously identifies the U.S. with Pakistan, as if in
contraposition to India, falsifying the true position that the present
leadership in both the countries are handmaids of U.S. imperialism. It suggests
to the Indian government: ‘The situation demands deft handling with mature
statesmanship’. With the golden hopes and expectations of ‘mature’
statesmanship from the present Indian rulers, the article assures the Indian
rulers that the CPI(M) has already taken a position that falls in line with
their own. Discussing the claim of Pakistan over Kashmir, it says: ‘we have
already dealt with the falsity of this claim in these columns’. Finding all
defects with the political regime in Pakistan, the article comes to advise the
Indian rulers that ‘The war is no solution’.

Going through the article, one comes to an inescapable conclusion that the
reformist left has already taken a definite position to support its own
bourgeoisie in cross border conflicts. This position has everything in common
with the stance adopted by the traitors of the Second International who
ultimately deceiving the interests of international unity of working class, had
openly and shamefully sided with their bourgeois governments, and thus brought
disrepute to the revolutionary movement. As the article clearly demonstrates the
Indian reformist left has taken the ‘national chauvinist’ position and has
shown its willingness in not resisting the local hegemonic designs of fascists
in power.

The situation thus comes to this that the fascists fully supported by the
centrists on one side and by the reformist left on the other, find no major
hindrance in furthering their designs. The situation is thus not so grim on the
border, as inside our own land, where power is being held by the fascists, who
later or sooner are bound to show their true colours.

Neither the centrists like the Cong(I) and the S.P. nor the official left are
inclined to thwart the advance of these dark forces, rather they are showing
their eagerness to supporting to assist them. As long as the vast mass of
working population remains under the influence of the centrists and the
reformists, no effective resistance can be built against the bourgeoisie in
general and the fascists in particular, who represent and serve the bare
interests of present day imperialism, creating war frenzy on the borders,
propagating national chauvinism, carrying out campaigns of communal hatred and
genocide and preparing for the open dictatorship of the worst of its kind in
history.